As the New Year approaches, it is time to start planning for the celebrations. Whether you are hosting or attending a party or just celebrating with your family, keep these safety tips in mind for a safe start to 2015.

Drinking Safety:

Do not set your drink down anywhere to prevent someone from tampering with it.

Eat starchy foods before and while you drink to slow the absorption of alcohol into your system.

Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to make sure you stay hydrated.

Driving Safety:

This may be common sense, but do not drink and drive.

If you are too impaired to drive, have a designated driver or hire a taxi to take you home safely.

Be aware of your surroundings. With all the added people on the road, driving is more dangerous. Plus, while you may not be drinking and driving, other people might be.

Hosting Safety:

Plan ahead and name a designated driver or contact a local cab company to make sure all your guests get home safe.

Consider providing your guests a place to stay overnight in your home.

Stop serving alcohol to your guests several hours before the party ends to give them a chance to sober up before they leave.

Monitor the alcohol intake of your guests to prevent them from drinking too much and getting alcohol poisoning.

Keep these various safety tips in mind to celebrate the start of the 2015-year safely! Contact The Insurance Shop in White Bear Lake for all of your Minnesota insurance needs. Let us protect you with a great policy that will keep you safe for the New Year.

The holiday season is a prime time for property damage, whether it is because of the weather or an increase in home hazards with all the decorations. Safe habits during the holidays are important and they can make your holiday celebrations go as smoothly as possible. To keep your festivities safe, keep these holiday safety tips in mind.

If you plan on frying your turkey for your holiday meal, be extremely careful. Never leave the fryer unattended and follow all instructions to ensure safe cooking.

When picking out a Christmas tree for your home, you want to make sure you get a fresh one by checking for flexible needles and sap at the base of the tree stem. Getting a fresh tree not only means it will last longer in your home, it also means that it is less of a fire hazard. You still have to regularly water your tree so that it does not dry out and become a magnet for fire.

Believe it or not, illuminating your entire house with lights is not the best way to show your holiday cheer. In fact, doing so is extremely dangerous. Make sure that you check your holiday lights for frayed wires and that you do not link more than three strands of lights together.

Scented candles are a fun way to make your house smell festive but you should exercise caution with candles. Keep lit candles in your immediate location and do not leave them unsupervised or near any flammable objects.

For added safety during the holiday season, keep these home safety tips in mind! Contact The Insurance Shop in White Bear Lake for all of your Minnesota insurance needs. Let us protect you with a great policy to keep you safe for the holidays.

Finding the right insurance policy can be a very stressful and confusing time. With thousands of options available, it can be difficult to make sure that you choose the right policy that will protect you and your family. Luckily, working with an honest agent from The Insurance Shop will help ease the process and ensure that you get the best policy at the right price for your needs.

At The Insurance Shop, we understand that insurance rates are always changing, which is why we are constantly remarketing our plans for our existing and future clients. We understand that while insurance is a necessary expense, it does not have to be the biggest expense in our lives. We are always looking to find the lowest rates for our clients, even if you already have a policy.

We are an independent insurance agency, which allows us to work with all of our associates to guarantee that you get the right policy for your specific needs. We strive to create a personal relationship with each and every one of our clients to ensure that you are completely satisfied with your coverage and are comfortable coming to us with any questions or concerns.

For all of your insurance needs,contactus today. We are located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and understand the special needs of all of the people in our community when it comes to finding the right insurance policy. We will work closely with you to make sure that you have the most comprehensive coverage, all at the right price.

The cold winter weather is here, and if it has not already started snowing at your home, it will soon. Although shoveling snow out of your sidewalks and driveway may seem like a bothersome task, it is essential to making sure that nobody is injured when they come to visit. Keep these tips in mind to help keep your driveway and sidewalk clear of snow and ice.

Remove snow in a timely manner – it is especially important to make sure that you shovel your sidewalk and driveway during a snowstorm since the compressed snow can easily turn to ice, making it much more difficult to remove. The job is much easier with less amount of snow on the ground.

Stay safe while shoveling – snow is very heavy, especially when there is a lot of it. Push the snow to the side when you are shoveling instead of lifting it out of the way so that you do not injure yourself.

Take advantage of sunshine – sunshine will melt ice, which will make it easier to clean up. Spread gravel or sand on icy patches before they fully form to help create more traction. It will also help future cleanup of the icy patches.

Keeping your sidewalks and driveways clear of snow and ice is the best way to prevent someone from getting injured when walking by your house. If someone is injured on your property, you can be held responsible for any medical bills associated with the accident. The injured party also has the option to sue you for more money because of the injury.

Having the right homeowners insurance policy is the best way to make sure that you are protected in case of an accident at your home this winter. Contact The Insurance Shop in White Bear Lake, Minnesota for all of your home insurance needs.